Loose leaf book



R. s. BROWN 2,023,802

LOOSE LEAF BOOK Filed Sept. 4, 1934 Patented Dec. 10, 1935 UNETED STATESNT QFFICE 20 Claims.

This invention relates to an extensible looseleaf binder, or a devicefor binding into book form a plurality of discrete sheets of paper orsimilar material. The invention is also concerned with the sheetsthemselves which form the leaves of the book.

It is the primary object of my invention to produce a binder which maybe simply and economically constructed, which will with equal facilitybind a thin or a thick stack of sheets, herein referred to as a pad, andwhich may be readily operated without the use of any special tools suchas keys, wrenches, or screw-drivers. Another object of my invention isto make a binder which will be compact, whereby the dimensions of thebound book need not greatly exceed those of the pad alone. A furtherobject of my invention is to produce a binder sd arranged that any ofthe bound sheets may be removed without the necessity for disarrangingthe others. Still another object of my invention is to produce a leaf ofpeculiar form for co-operation with the binder.

In carrying out my invention I employ a pair of parallel clampingmembers between which the pad composed of superposed leaves is clamped.The means for drawing the two clamping members together to bind the edgeof the pad preferably comprises a pair of spaced screws secured to oneof the clamping members and a pair of correspondingly spaced nutsrotatably mounted in the other clamping member to co-operaterespectively with the screws. The clamping member which carries thescrews also carries a pair of spaced guide posts which co-operate withnotches or holes in the leaves forming the pad. In order to maintain allthe leaves in proper alinement should the thickness of the pad exceedthe length or these posts, the clamping nuts extend into the spacebetween the clamping members and are there cylindrical, the leaves ofthe pad being provided with openings properly positioned and to'receivethe nuts. Preferably, the leaves are formed with notches on oppositesides near one end, each of such notches having both a portion whichreceives the guide post and a portion which receives the cylindricalnut.

The accompanying drawing illustrates my inventio'n: Fig. 1 is anisometric View of a complete book with my binder in place; Fig. 2 is avertical section through the pad and binder on the line 2-2 of Fig. Fig.3 is a fragmental plan view of one end of the upper clamping membershowing one of the clamping nuts in section;

Fig. 4 is an isometric view of the botto'm clamping member and the partsit carries; Fig. 5 is a fragmental vertical section on the line 55 ofFig. 2 showing the normal use of the binder; Fig.

6 is a fragmental section similar to Fig. 5, but 5 illustrating thebinder as used to bind a relatively thin pad; and Fig. '7 is afragmental plan view of one of the leaves which form the pad.

The binder comprises top and bottom clamping members, it] and iirespectively, which are con- 10 veniently of sheet-metal and whichextend across the pad at one end thereof. The bottom clamp- 4 ing memberI l has mounted upon it two vertically extending screw-threaded postsIt, which conveniently are located near the ends of the clampingmembers. In addition, there are mounted upon the clamping member ll twovertically extending guide posts it which are spaced, convenientlyinwardly, from the screw-threaded posts l2. The upper clamping memberit! has rotatably mounted upon it two nuts M adapted respectively toreceive the two screw-threaded posts 12.

Conveniently, the two clamping members Ill and H are provided withstruck-up stiffening ribs l5 which project from the clamping membersexterio'rly in relation to the pad clamped between them. Along theirouter edges, the clamping members may also be provided with flanges I6which provide additional stifiness and serve td protect the rear edge ofthe bound pad. Conveniently, although not necessarily, the screwthreadson the two posts 12 are of opposite hand, as is clear from Figs. 2 and4; as I find that this arrangement aids the average person in operat- 3.ing the clamping nuts.

While the clamping nuts may be mounted in the clamping member Ill in anumber of difierent ways, I preferto mount them as shown in the drawing.According to this method of mount- 40 ing, the clamping member [9 isprovided at each end with a slot 18 in which the associated clamping nuti4 is mounted, the nut being provided with a relatively deep annulargroove to permit its insertion into the slot. Near the inner end of theslot, the walls thereof conform to the curvature of the bottom of thegroove in the nut Hi, but the outer portion of each slot [8 is slightlynarrower so as to prevent accidental removal of the nuts. A second slot2%), which communicates with the slot I 8 and extends inwardly therefromfor a considerable distance, is provided at each end of the clampingmember It to permit the two parts of the clamping member lying onopposite sides of said slot to be sprung apart to effect the insertionor removal of the clamping clamping member ii are disposed close to therespectively associated screw-threaded posts I2 in order that a singlenotch in each edge of each leaf of the pad may receive both the guidepost i 3 and the nut M on the associated screw-threaded post. If this isdone, the leaves of which the pad is composed may have the formillustrated in Fig.7. As indicated in that figure of the drawing, eachrear corner of this leaf is provided with a notch which extends inwardlyfrom the side edge of the leaf. The extreme inner portion 25 of each ofthese notches is shaped to conform to the inner face of thecorresponding guide-post I3. Outwardly beyond the portion 25, the edgesof each notch curve outwardly as at 26 to conform to the curved outersurface of the clamping nut M. From a point opposite the axis of theassociated nut M, the lower edge of each of the notches preferablyextends in a substantially straight line perpendicular to the side edgesof the leaf. If desired, each extreme top corner of the leaf may be cutback to apoint approximately opposite the axis of the associated nut l4,as indicated at 27.

The notches in the leaves are preferably deep enough so that the nuts Il lie wholly between the side faces of the pad, as is clear from Fig.'7. To decrease the maximum depth of the notches, the guide posts 18 arepreferably placed as close as possible to the screw-threaded posts l2,this spacing being so close in the device illustrated in the drawing asto necessitate the cutting away of the outer face of each guide post toprovide clearance for the adjacent nut.

When the binder is to be used, the nuts are rotated until disengagedfrom the screw-threaded posts I 2, and the two clamping members are thenseparated. To aid in rotating the nuts, their cylindrical surfaces maybe knurled, and their heads, above the upper clamping member l0, mayalso be milled or otherwise roughened. knurling shown in the drawing isin the form of a series of relatively widely spaced longitudinal groovesin the cylindrical surfaces of the nuts; and in the arrangement shown,this form is considered of advantage, for it provides a firm finger gripand yet presentsto the adjacent paper a surface which will not tear orchafe the edges thereof. In the precise arrangement illustrated in thedrawing, the parts are so disposed that the operator may rotate the nutsby placing the thumbs of his two hands upon the roughened nutheads andthe sides of his index fingers on the bodies of the nuts below the upperclamping member it When the upper clamping member I!) has been removedfrom association with the lower clamping member, the pad is built up onthe lower clamping member, the superposed leaves being maintained inproper alinement by the guide-posts 13 which are received in theportions 25 of the notches in the leaves. The book may include top andbottom leaves 38 of extra thickness to protect the leaves within thepad. When the pad is built up, the upper clamping member is put inplace, the nuts E 3 passing downwardly through the wider portions of thenotches in the side edges of the leaves which form the pad. By rotatingthe nuts in the proper direction, the two clamping members are forcedtogether to securely grip the pad.

I prefer to proportion the parts so that with a pad of average thicknessthe guide-posts [3 will The not extend completely through the pad. Sucha condition is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5. In this arrangement, theleaves between the lower ends of the nuts l4 and the lower clampingmember II are held in proper alinement by the guide- 5 posts l3, Whilethe leaves between the upper end of the guide-posts and the upperclamping member are held in place by the nuts I 4. Thus, the thicknessof the pad which can be gripped by my binder is not limited by thelength of the guide-posts l3, and these guide-posts can be made shorterthan would otherwise be necessary.

If the pad to be gripped is so thin that the lower ends of the nuts Mwould engage the lower clamping member H to prevent an adequate clampingaction, the nuts l4 may be inverted. If these nuts are removably mountedin the upper clamping member, as in the device of the drawing, they canbe removed, inverted, and replaced, leaving the clamping member in itsnormal position, as illustrated in Fig. 6. If, on the other hand, thenuts are not removably mounted in the upper clamping member the entireassembly of nuts and clamping member might be inverted. To prevent theguide-posts it from interfering With theclamping action on thin pads,the upper clamping member is provided with openings 29 shaped andpositioned to permit the guide-posts l3 to pass through them.

As so far described, my improved binder will 30 adequately clamp padsvarying from a thickness of a few leaves to a thickness equal to the sumof the length of the guide-posts l3 and the body portions of the nut l4.Pads of greater thickness may be gripped by replacing the nuts M withlonger ones or by providing them with downward extensions.

The clamping members it! and I! may be simple strips of sheet-metalwhich perform no function other than that of clamping the pad togetherat one edge. If desired, however, the bottom clamping member H may be inthe form of a plate co-extensive with the pad as indicated in Fig. 6 toprovide a support therefor. As also illustrated in Fig. 6, I may providea cover 3| for the pad, such cover being hingedly connected to theassociated clamping member as by means of a sheet or strip 32 of fabricor other flexible material which may be cemented to the clamping member.

Because of the cut-away upper corners 27 of the leaves of the pad,sheets within the pad can readily be removed and inserted without thenecessity for completely disassembling the pad. The cut-away corners 21also facilitate access to the body portions of the nuts l4. By providingthe notch on each side of the pad with two portions receivingrespectively the guide-posts I 3 and the nuts [4, both thepost-receiving and the nut-receiving openings may be cut with a singletool. Further, because of the substantially straight lower edge of eachnotch, the same tool can be used to cut the notches of sheets of varyingwidth. The fact that the side walls of the notches have no re-entrantportions enables the as tool which forms the notches to be withdrawnlaterally from the edge of the leaf rather than from the face thereof.This enables the notches to be out rather than punched.

It may be noted further that the clamping members may be made relativelythin, and thus the over-all dimensions of the bound book need notgreatly exceed those of the pad alone.

I claim as my invention:

1. A device of the class described, comprising a pad of leaves offlexible material, a pair of clamping members between which said pad isgripped, two guide posts and two screw-threaded posts mounted on one ofsaid clamping members and extending partly through said pad, said guideposts being respectively located in close proximity to thescrew-threaded posts, and a pair of nuts rotatably mounted in the otherclamping member for co-operation with the screw-threaded posts, saidnuts having cylindrical portions extending into the space between theclamping members, the leaves of the pad being provided with locatingopenings each of which is adapted to receive a guide post and thecylindrical portion of the nut adjacent thereto.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a pad of leaves offlexible material, a pair of clamping members between which said pad isgripped, two guide posts and two screw-threaded posts mounted on one ofsaid clamping members and extending partly through said pad, and a pairof nuts rotatably mounted in the other clamping member for co-operationwith screwthreaded posts, said nuts having cylindrical portionsextending into the space between the clamping members, the leaves of thepad being provided with locating openings for the reception of saidguide posts and the cylindrical portions of said nuts, said openingsbeing in the form of notches extending inwardly from opposite edges ofthe leaves comprising the pad, each such notch having portions ofdifferent widths for the reception of the guide-posts and nuts,respectively.

3. A device of the class described, comprising a pad of leaves offlexible material, a pair of clamping members between which said pad isgripped, and means for drawing said two clamping members together togrip the pad between them, said means including a screw and aco-operating nut respectively associated with the two clamping members,said nut having a portion which protrudes through its associatedclamping member and a portion which extends into the space between theclamping members and which is located near one edge of the pad, thepad-leaves at such edge being provided with notches for the reception ofsaid nut.

4. A loose-leaf binder comprising two opposed clamping members and meansfor drawing said two members toward each other to grip between them thepad or" leaves to be bound, said means including a screw and aco-operating nut respectively associated with the two clamping members,said nut having an annular groove nearer one end than the other and of awidth to receive the material of which the associated clamping member isformed, such clamping member being provided with a slot opening in oneedge thereof and of a width to receive the grooved portion of said nut.

5. The invention set forth in claim 4 with the addition that saidclamping member is provided with a second slot extending inwardly fromsaid first slot to permit the two portions of the clamping member lyingon opposite sides of the first slot to be resiliently forced apart, thefirst slot at its open end having normally a width less than thediameter of the grooved portion of the nut to retain the nut in place.

6. A device of the class described, comprising a pad of sheets offlexible material, a pair of clamping members between which said pad isgripped, one of said clamping members being provided witha guide postand a screw-threaded post extending into the pad, the other of saidclamping members having associated with it a clamping nut cooperatingwith said screw-threaded post and extending into the pad, each of theleaves of which the pad is formed being provided with an openingreceiving both said nut 5 and said guide post and co-operating therewithto locate the leaf relative to the two clamping members.

7. In a device of the class described, a pad of leaves of flexiblematerial, a pair of clampu ing members between which said pad isgripped, the leaves of said pad being provided in opposite edges withinwardly extending notches, each of said notches having two portions ofdifierent widths, a guide member on one of said clamping membersextending into the pad and received in one of such notch-portions, and asecond guide member on the other of said clamping members extending intothe pad and received in the other of such notch portions.

8. A loose-leaf binder comprising two opposed clamping members and meansfor drawing said two members toward each other to grip between them thepad or" leaves to be bound, said means including a pair ofscrew-threaded nuts rotatably mounted near opposite ends of one clampingmember, said nuts having generally cylindrical portions extendingdownwardly into the padreceiving space between the clamping members,screw-threaded posts extending upwardly from the other clamping memberfor co-operation with said nuts, the cylindrical portions of said nutsbeing provided with a series of spaced longitudinal grooves tofacilitate gripping by the fingers of an operator, and a pad of leavesof flexible material in said space having openings adapted to closelyreceive said cylindrical portions.

9. A loose-leaf binder comprising two opposed clamping members and meansfor drawing said two members toward each other to grip between them thepad of leaves to be bound, said means including a pair of screw-threadednuts rotatably mounted near opposite ends of one clamping member, saidnuts having generally cylindrical portions extending downwardly into thepad-receiving space between the clamping members, and screw-threadedposts extending upwardly from the other clamping member for co-operationwith said nuts, the screw-threads of said 50. two nuts being of oppositehand.

10. A leaf for insertion in a binder, comprising a generally rectangularsheet of thin flexible material, said sheet being provided in oppositeedges and near one end with inwardly extending notches, each of saidnotches having two portions of different widths with the wider portionat the open end of the notch, the material of the sheet between eachnotch and the adjacent end of the sheet being cutaway for a part of thedepth of the wider notch-portion.

11. A leaf for insertion in a binder, comprising a generally rectangularsheet of thin flexible material, said sheet being provided in oppositeedges and near one end with inwardly extending notches, each of saidnotches having two portions of difierent widths with the wider portionat the open end of the notch.

12. A device of the class described, comprising a pad of leaves offlexible material, a pair of clamping members between which said pad isgripped, two spaced screw-threaded posts mounted on one of said clampingmembers and extending into the space between them, and a pair of nutsrotatably mounted in the other of said clamp- 7 5 ing members and havingcylindrical portions extending into the space between the clampingmembers, the leaves of the pad being provided with locating notcheswhich extend inwardly from opposite edges of the leaves to receive saidnuts and which are positioned near one end of said leaves, the corner ofthe leaf near each notch being cut away for a part of the depth of thenotch to facilitate access to a nut within the notch.

13. A device of the class described, comprising a pad of leaves offlexible material, a pair of clamping members between which said pad isgripped, two spaced screw-threaded posts mounted on one of said clampingmembers and extending into the space between them, and a pair of nutsrotatably mounted in the other of said clamping members and havingcylindrical portions extending into the space between the clampingmembers, the leaves of the pad being provided with locating notcheswhich extend inwardly from opposite edges of the leaves to receive saidnuts, the cylindrical portions of said nuts being located completelywithin the sides of the pad.

14. A loose-leaf binder comprising two opposed clamping members andmeans for drawing said two members toward each other to grip betweenthem the pad of leaves to be bound, said means including a pair ofscrew-threaded nuts rotatably mounted near opposite ends of one clampingmember, said nuts having generally cylindrical portions extendingdownwardly into the padreceiving space between the clamping members,screw-threaded posts extending upwardly from the other clamping memberfor co-operation with said nuts, and a pair of guide posts mounted onone of said clamping members, the other of said clamping members beingprovided with a pair of openings for the reception of said guide posts.

15. In a device of the class described, a pad of leaves of flexiblematerial, two clamp bars engaging opposite faces of said pad, a pair ofleafguiding members mounted on each clamp bar and extending into thepad, at least one of said leaf-guiding members being rotatably supportedin its associated clamp-bar and having a screwthread connection with theother clamp bar, each leaf of said pad being provided with openingsadapted to fit said guiding members and, by engagement with either pairthereof, to prevent movement of the leaf in its plane.

16. In a device of the class described, a pad of leaves of flexiblematerial, a pair of clamp bars engaging opposite sides of said pad, apair of members rotatably mounted in one of said clamp-bars and having ascrew-thread connection with the other clamp-bar, a pair of guide postsmounted on such other clamp-bar, extending into the padreceiving spacebetween the two clamp-bars, and

terminating short of the other clamp bar, said rotatable members beingprovided with cylindrical portions between said clamp bars, each leaf ofsaid pad being shaped to fit against said guide posts and thecylindrical portions of said rotatable members, the cylindrical portionsof the rotatable members constituting the sole guiding means for leaveslying beyond the ends of said guide posts.

17. A loose-leaf binder, comprising a pair of clamp bars, a pair ofguide posts and a pair of screw-threaded posts mounted on one of saidclamp bars, and a pair of nuts rotatably mounted in the other clamp-barand each having a cylindrical leaf-guiding portion adapted to extendinto the leaf-receiving space between said clamp bars, saidnut-supporting bar being so shaped and said guide posts being so locatedas to permit said guide posts to extend through the plane of saidnut-supporting bar, and said nuts being threaded through for thereception of said threaded posts from either end.

18. A loose-leaf binder, comprising a pair of clamp bars, a pair ofguide posts and a pair of screw-threaded posts mounted on one of saidclamp bars, a pair of nuts rotatably mounted in the other clamp-bar, themounting means of each of said nuts being located nearer one end of saidnut than the other, to provide nut-portions extending difierentdistances from the nut supporting clamp-bar for use in binding leaf-padsof different thicknesses, the longer of said nut-portions being ofcylindrical shape and adapted to extend a substantial distance into thepad-receiving space between said clamp bars to serve as a leaf-guidingpost.

19. In a device of the class described, a pad of leaves of flexiblematerial, a pair of notches extending inwardly from the side edges ofsaid pad near one end thereof, a pair of clamp-bars engaging oppositefaces of said pad and overlying said notches, a pair of nuts rotatablysupported in the upper clamp bar near its ends and having screw-threadconnections with the lower clampbar, downwardly extending leaf-guidingcylindrical portions on said nuts having roughened surfaces andpositioned in said notches with their outer surfaces accessible from thesides of said pad, a low head on each of said nuts disposed above saidupper clamp bar, such arrangement being adapted to permit thesimultaneous engagement by an operators thumb and forefinger atdiametrically opposite points respectively on said head and saidcylindrical outer surface of a nut.

20. In a device as defined in claim 19, screwthread connections betweensaid two nuts and said lower clamp-bar which are respectively ofopposite hand.

RAYMOND S. BROWN.

